


The Moment

by lovekernel



Category: Casualty (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 12:44:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15972560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovekernel/pseuds/lovekernel
Summary: The moment Alicia realised she loved Bea and the moment Bea realised she loved Alicia.





	The Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by anonymous on tumblr! Thanks for reading!

Bea always wanted to be the best she could at everything she did. Learning to cook had become a sort of obsession. She taught herself basic recipes, trying to get each little task right. She often concentrated on one part of a recipe only to neglect another, leading to burnt dishes and pots boiling over and leaking their contents all over the stove. More than once over the last few weeks, Alicia heard Bea’s frustrated yells and had to come in and rescue her from whatever culinary disaster had happened. She had to eat the results of Bea’s efforts, strange textures and weird flavours, wondering how exactly Bea managed to create them and trying her best to look like she was enjoying it.

Alicia worried about her girlfriend setting fire to the kitchen or breaking down over a lasagna but she let Bea continue her new hobby. At least this stress wouldn’t last, and she was actually starting to get better. There were fewer unfortunate incidents and Bea finally learned the habit of tasting as you go along.

“Alicia!”

Alicia heard the shout from the kitchen and jumped up from the couch. The fixation of the last few days was ‘the perfect tomato sauce’. Previous attempts had not ended in success. One forgotten pot burned on the hob (half Alicia’s fault, she kept Bea otherwise occupied) and the second sauce was too acidic to tolerate past a few bites. When they came home from work that evening Bea declared the third time was the charm and shut herself in the kitchen for a few hours, a worryingly long time for Alicia to leave her alone but it was what Bea requested. She was going to get it right this time, she said.

Alicia couldn’t gauge the tone but didn’t smell burning or hear any high-pitched beeps, nor any angry muttering from behind the kitchen door. As she opened the door, Alicia was hit with the aroma of sautéed onions and garlic and rich, slow-cooked tomatoes. Her eyes found Bea at the stove, hunched over a saucepan with her hair up in a messy bun and her hoodie half off one of her shoulders. Alicia approached carefully, put her hand on Bea’s exposed shoulder and rubbed it. “You okay?” 

“Here, here try this,” Bea said hastily as turned around with a wooden spoon. She lifted it to Alicia’s mouth. “Wait, hang on.” Bea took the spoon back and blew on the sauce, spilling a little over the edge of the spoon. She stared at the drops on the floor for a moment before looking back up at Alicia, smiling. “Ok, now, here you go!”

Alicia bent her head to put her lips over the spoon and taste the sauce. She let it coat her tongue and mulled over the flavour.

“Oh-”

“I’m still working on it,” Bea interjected, pointing a finger at Alicia as she turned back and gave the pot a stir. 

Alicia shook her head and smiled. “It’s delicious, Bea.” 

Bea looked back at her in shock, hopeful for a moment, then her eyes narrowed. “Are you serious? Don't lie to spare my feelings, I really can't take it right now.”

“I'm not, it's really good!”

“Really? You like it?”

“Yes!”

Bea laughed. “Yes!” she said, pumping her fist. “It tasted pretty good to me but I was afraid I was just delirious.”

Alicia took the spoon back from the pot and tasted the sauce again. She licked her lips. “Even if you are delirious this is seriously good. What did you put in this?”

“I’m not going to tell you because I want this to be my secret recipe.” Bea put her hands on her hips and leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling thoughtfully. She looked back at Alicia. “I’ve always wanted a secret recipe.”

Bea looked so happy. Smiling wide with red cheeks, her fringe crinkled from the steam in the kitchen and blue eyes shining in the light of the extractor fan. Alicia thought she looked beautiful. Watching Bea's joy and admiring her determination she was suddenly taken by a feeling of warmth spreading through her body, and it wasn’t coming from the gas flame.

When Bea turned back to the stove Alicia wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her close to rest her chin on Bea’s shoulder, listening to her talk about cooking times and tomato skins. 

She knew what this was and it felt right. She almost whispered it in Bea’s ear, but she didn’t want to interrupt her or throw her off balance, they had only been together a few weeks, and this sort of commitment was new to them both. Not to mention they were 5 minutes away from Bea crashing with exhaustion once the sauce excitement ran out. 

Alicia relaxed as Bea leaned against her, the heat from Bea’s back sinking into her chest, and she thought the words she wanted to say. I love you.

  
  
  


Alicia was so good with kids. She knew how to talk to children, earn their trust, make them feel safe, explain things in a way they would understand. 

Bea watched Alicia talking to a child in reception, both patient and doctor laughing despite the nasty gash in the boy’s forehead that left his face covered in blood.

Alicia had a knack for making children smile no matter how scary the situation felt. Bea just loved to watch her go about her job, doing it with such ease and contentment. Paediatrics made Alicia so happy and it showed. Bea found it hard to look away when she saw that glow on Alicia’s face, it brought everything to a standstill. Bea stayed watching Alicia as she led the boy and his father towards the children’s ED until she left her sight and Bea shook herself back to focus on her work, though the image of Alicia’s smile stayed in her mind.

Later, Bea went to the staffroom for her break. She stopped in the doorway when she saw Alicia sitting at the counter with a pile of papers in front of her, reading intently. After a moment she looked up and smiled when she saw her girlfriend.

“Aha. Right on cue!” She pushed a mug of coffee towards Bea as she sat down.

Bea looked at Alicia dreamily as she picked up the mug. “You’re a hell of a woman, you know that?”

“So you say.” Alicia chuckled as she looked down at her notes again. “I love how you act like I’m a goddess when I give you coffee.”

“You are a goddess. Thank you,” Bea said, taking a sip. She savoured her coffee in silence for a few minutes. “How’s that kid with the head wound?”

Alicia raised an eyebrow. “Did I tell you about that?”

Bea swallowed. “I saw you with him in reception.”

Alicia grinned and Bea knew she caught her staring earlier. 

“What? I like to watch you work! And I don’t get to see you here as much as I used to.”

“I don’t mind,” Alicia said softly. Bea saw Alicia’s eyes flicker down to her warm cheeks and smile before she continued. “He’s fine. Couple of stitches, all good.”

“Good,” Bea said and took another sip of coffee.

She looked at Alicia reading and thought about how much she admired her abilities. Always so capable, so in control. Bea always felt secure working beside her, and it transferred over to their friendship and then, eventually, their romantic relationship. Bea trusted Alicia completely and there weren’t many people she could say the same for, she could count them on one hand. Alicia glanced at Bea and smiled, giving Bea a full dose of her dimples. Bea was filled with a sense of joy, so happy to be here with Alicia, just drinking coffee. There seemed to be nothing better than being near her. 

Suddenly Bea felt as if some invisible force had grabbed her and told her to pay attention. 

She had never felt like this with anyone else before. Granted, Bea had never had a relationship that lasted over a month. 

“Alright?” Alicia asked.

“Yeah,” Bea replied. She placed her hand over Alicia’s, feeling her smooth skin. She stroked her thumb over familiar fingers and looked up to Alicia’s eyes, finding them already locked on her own. Bea’s heart beat a little faster as she realised what was happening. 

Alicia noticed the change. “What’s up?”

Bea opened her mouth and said nothing. She just worked out the answer to that question. 

Bea put her hand to Alicia’s cheek and leaned over to kiss her, slowly, to give her time to appreciate how this felt. She loved her. It wasn’t alarming like when Bea felt herself getting too close to someone so many other times before. She had no desire to run. She only wanted to be closer. It felt amazing just thinking it. She loved Alicia. 


End file.
